More Yankee dollars on offer at Anfield
After months of uncertainty over the €262 million debt with which Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett have burdened the club and an ultimatum from Royal Bank of Scotland to find €111 million of outside investment, Liverpool’s ownership is once again in question.
A New York-based private equity firm, the Rhone Group, have offered €131 million to buy a 40% stake. The money would be used to slash the club’s debt, making Liverpool a more attractive option for further investors.
If successful, the Rhone Group’s bid would give them the controlling interest in the club, with Hicks and Gillett reducing their shareholding to 30% each. Full details of Rhone’s offer were only received yesterday and it has yet to be discussed by the Anfield board.
Against this unsettling backdrop, Liverpool face Portsmouth still looking for their first Monday night victory of Benitez’s reign. Worse still for Benitez, weekend newspaper headlines suggested that his reign may come to an abrupt end this summer.
Liverpool will be keen for revenge on Pompey after their 2-0 defeat at Fratton Park in mid-December in which midfielder Javier Mascherano was sent off.
But defender Jamie Carragher is wary of the threat Pompey could pose. “With administration it will probably bring them closer together and make them stronger,” he warned. “They’ve got nothing to lose.”
Yossi Benayoun will have a late fitness test after an ankle injury sustained in last Monday’s defeat at Wigan meant he missed the 1-0 Europa League loss at Lille.
Portsmouth’s Irish midfielder Marc Wilson is optimistic about his side’s chances. “Liverpool are beatable,” he said. “They are having a bit of a hard time. They aren’t playing their best football.”
It was also reported yesterday that property tycoon Rob Lloyd – who appeared on the Channel 4 TV programme Secret Millionaire in 2008 – is fronting a consortium to buy the south coast club.
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